Chronic diarrhea. Mild but leaves me feeling terrible. Anyone relate?

Posted by angelique343 @angelique343, Nov 2, 2025

Will try to be brief! About 45 years ago, I picked up a stomach bug while abroad and my digestion has never returned to normal. The issue is diarrhoea, albeit relatively mild.
If I take 1 or x Loperimide per day, I'm generally OK, apart from occasional 'bouts' which my question refers to.

I should say first, despite countless investigations, nothing much has shown up apart from "mild to moderate bile acid malabsorption" but that was at least 10 years ago and I've recently had another test that proved negative for that

My problem usually happens when I eat too wheat (though various tests have never shown any allergy or coeliac issue).

To get to the point, what happens is that I have an uncomfortable urgency to empty my bowels. The stools are only a little bit loose but almost immediately, I feel absolutely terrible - it's difficult to describe but exhausted, a bit sick, a vile feeling in my head and throughout my entire digestive system. I have no energy and I just want to collapse.

Typically this thoroughly unpleasant feeling lasts about 48 hours. I don't have any further BMs (until one, the next day). I just don't understand why this happens and no doctor has ever been able to give me any kind of explanation.

How can one slightly loose BM make me feeling SO dreadful for SO long? If I can't get a resolution, I would at least like to understand the logic. Can it be that I'm simply dehydrated? But how can the sensations be so sudden and anyway, it's not like fully blown diarrhoea where there's repeated BMs and lots of lost liquid.

Most of the time it's fairly OK and manageable but it's often worse when I'm abroad, as I am right now (in Italy, where it'squite hard to avoid wheat). Final comment, before I discovered Loperimide about 25 years ago, my life was sheer misery. I had diarrhoea every day, multiple times, liquid. I felt so incredibly awful every day. At least it isn't like that any more. I don't believe anything will ever be "found". I think it's a dysfunction based on nervous system dysregulation, or something like that.

Can anyone else relate? Does anyone know how or why my body's reaction can be so very extreme or how a little 'touch' of diarrhoea can lay me low for days??? Sorry this is so long! Many thanks in advance.

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cardigan | @cardigan | Mar 30 2:21pm

Maybe you should have the Bile malabsorption test again.I have chronic Diarrhoea for past few years and Gastro.thinks it may be bile malabsorption although he has not suggested any tests.I also have diverticulitis.

elaine1212 | @elaine1212 | 3 days ago

In reply to @angelique343 "@vcfoley11 Thanks for your reply. I do avoid wheat, which helps matters. Am wondering if iron..." + (show)

@angelique343
Hi, I started on iron pills and have been experiencing stomach, And intestinal problems since starting. Found several sites that said it could cause gastrointestinal problems. Just found this information TODAY, so I will not be taking iron, but will be adding a lot of iron rich foods. Also found that vitamin d cause same type of problem, so I will be adding more vitamin d foods. Hope this helps you.

elaine1212 | @elaine1212 | 3 days ago

In reply to @leeman25 "Finally helpful to hear from someone who has similar symptoms--I contracted Covid in 10/2023; and took..." + (show)

@leeman25

Finally helpful to hear from someone who has similar symptoms--I contracted Covid in 10/2023; and took Paxlovid to "cure" the disease (mitigate its severity so they said). During that illness, I experienced constant diarrhea. When the disease finally left me, I began having daily, persistent loose bowels that has never resolved.

In April, 2024, I had a colonoscopy done (PCP at the time told me (Oh, they will find the cause of your diarrhea). The Gastroenterologist who performed the procedure simply stared at me when I told him I had diarrhea 7 months. He told me to call him in 6 weeks. Colonoscopy turned up basically normal with no clue as to the diarrhea.

during that time, I had a chest x-ray that revealed a hiatal hernia. My Gastroenterologist tole me "Oh, we don't operate on those". No discussion about their potential significance driving my symptoms.

Changed PCPs and Institutional care provider 9/2024; and continued to have distress daily. Went to a Gastroenterologist 1/2025; who began a series of tests. He immediately told me "We may have to repeat the Colonoscopy". I asked him Why? I had one 9 months earlier! and it showed nothing! All the tests over 3 months turned up no clue as to the persistent diarrhea. Potential treatments: "Sand" milkshakes; accelerated psyllium fiber intake.

Changed Gastroenterologists again, Summer 2025. Dr. could not come up with a reason why this condition had persisted for so many months. I agreed to have another colonoscopy coming up 3/2026; where they will take a biopsy of my colon to look for diseased or compromised tissue.

I told all the Doctors I saw during that time that I believed I had sustained permanent damage from the Covid and the Paxlovid. I'm tired of none of them having any clue. We're just going through tests; and I suspect the result of which will be to put me on permanent prescription meds. for this. The outlook appears to be that the doctors will never know what the cause is; and will only treat symptoms.

Can anyone shed some light on this situation for me?

I can't eat without having a loose watery movement within 90 minutes of every meal.

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@leeman25
Have you been tested for c.diff. It is common to get c.diff after antibiotics treatment, and diarrhea is the main symptom.

Leeman25 | @leeman25 | 2 days ago

In reply to @elaine1212 "@leeman25 Have you been tested for c.diff. It is common to get c.diff after antibiotics treatment,..." + (show)

@elaine1212
Thank you for messaging me with that idea. I have not heard of that before. I'll look it up and message my Gastroenterologist with that...

She mentioned the possibility of microscopic colitis, which she wanted to look into via a biopsy during a colonoscopy. I conferred with my PCP and Gastro, and they agreed the colonoscopy was not urgent. A colonoscopy would wipe out any digestive progress to date and I would be back to square one. Plus, if the diagnosis were to have been micro colitis, there is no cure. They might have put me on drugs for life.

I am making very slow progress; but progress nonetheless.

I am thinking about contacting Pfizer and sharing my situation with them. The Paxlovid was rushed out without much forethought; particularly in the situation with elderly patients. I couldn't get any honest discussion around it with any medical provider when I took it for Covid relief.

suetex | @suetex | 2 days ago

As a Crohn's who is in remission (after 40 years) I can relate. Rather than think of all the things that might be wrong, I would have a suggestion. Look up Low Dose Naltrexone on the internet, and if it seems right for you, seek out a Dr. to perscribe it. Any Dr. can, it is more a matter of belief. I take 2 mg.

elaine1212 | @elaine1212 | 2 days ago

In reply to @leeman25 "@elaine1212 Thank you for messaging me with that idea. I have not heard of that before...." + (show)

@leeman25
Hi, I also took paxlovid for Covid and that is when my problems started. I believe we are not along with this problem, I don’t think Pfizer would share information with you , I think they are part of the problem. I had two doses then stopped. My doctor then prescribed cephalexin. Now they are saying this antibiotic is not right for c. Diff. I’m sitting here looking for gastroenterology Dr. when your message came through. There is so much information out there that’s it’s hard to know what to do, improving my diet seemed to help, but it’s not enough. I refused a colonoscopy because of my age instead had cd scan. Doctor didn’t say much about results, and I’m not sure what area of body it covers, need to see results. There always colon cancer to consider so will be asking more questions. I hope you find answers and will begin to heel.

dt61 | @dt61 | 1 day ago

In reply to @leeman25 "@elaine1212 Thank you for messaging me with that idea. I have not heard of that before...." + (show)

@leeman25
microscopic colitis also known as lymphocytic colitis has no other description but it sucks. It is possible to have a c-diff flare along with the colitis. The only "cure" I am aware for the condition is removal of colon, or death.

Leeman25 | @leeman25 | 1 day ago

In reply to @elaine1212 "@leeman25 Hi, I also took paxlovid for Covid and that is when my problems started. I..." + (show)

@elaine1212
Thank you for your insights and kind words. Stay positive, a lot of folks in my age bracket 70s seem to be having some sort of digestive issues. I will continue to study the situation and treatments. Are you near a metro area where you might find a good Gastro specialist? Funny thing is, despite all their training, the Gastro doctors seem as confused about diagnosing these maladies as the patients are. Why? Blessings to you.

Leeman25 | @leeman25 | 1 day ago

In reply to @suetex "As a Crohn's who is in remission (after 40 years) I can relate. Rather than think..." + (show)

@suetex

Thank you.

Leeman25 | @leeman25 | 1 day ago

In reply to @dt61 "@leeman25 microscopic colitis also known as lymphocytic colitis has no other description but it sucks. It..." + (show)

@dt61

That is what I have heard as well from the Gastroenterologist. Neither of the practitioners I consulted with had any idea as to the cause. Why don't they go in that direction? Seems logical to me. Maybe there is a clue they can follow to narrow the focus of treatment. But they have a panel of prescription meds ready to prescribe.

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